Advanced polymer wood composite
AssigneeAndersen Corporation
InventorsMichael J. Deaner, Joseph Puppin, Kurt E. Heikkila
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Abstract
A composition in the form of pellets comprising a thermoplastic and wood fiber composite material suitable for forming structural members as a replacement for wood in the manufacture of doors and windows. The composite has less than about 10 wt % water based on pellet weight and a Young's modulus of at least about 500,000. Structural members are typically formed from the composite in an extrusion or an injection molding process.
Claims50
A composite thermoplastic pellet, capable of formation into a structural profile or member, which pellet consists essentially of a thermoplastic cylindrical extrudate having a width of about 1 to 5 mm, a length of about 1 to 10 mm, the thermoplastic pellet composite composition consisting essentially of:
- (a) about 40 to 70 wt. % a thermoplastic polymer comprising vinyl chloride;
- and
- (b) about 30 to 50 wt. % of wood fiber having a minimum aspect ratio of about 1.8 to provide structural properties to the composite;
- wherein the polymer wood fiber are mixed at elevated temperature and pressure such that the fiber comprises less than about 8 wt-% water, the pellet comprises an intimate admixture of wood fiber dispersed throughout the continuous thermoplastic polymer phase, the pellet is a recyclable thermoplastic and the composite has a Young's modulus of at least about 800,000 psi.
A polymer and wood fiber thermoplastic composite composition capable of formation into a structural profile or member, the thermoplastic extrudate composite composition consisting essentially of:
- (a) about 40 to 70 wt. % a thermoplastic polymer comprising vinyl chloride;
- and
- (b) about 30 to 50 wt. % of wood fiber having a minimum aspect ratio of about 1.8 to provide structural properties to the composite;
- wherein the polymer wood fiber are mixed at elevated temperature and pressure such that the fiber comprises less than about 8 wt-% water, the pellet comprises an intimate admixture of wood fiber dispersed throughout the continuous thermoplastic polymer phase, the pellet is a recyclable thermoplastic and the composite has a Young's modulus of at least about 800,000 psi.
A polymer and wood fiber composite capable of formation into a structural member, which composite comprises a cylindrical linear extrudate having a radius of about 1 to 5 mm;
- the linear extrudate composition comprising:
- (a) about 45 to 70 wt-% of a polymer comprising vinyl chloride;
- (b) about 30 to 50 wt-% of wood fiber having a minimum thickness of 1 mm and a minimum length of 3 mm and an aspect ratio of about 1.8;
- (c) less than about 8 wt-% water;
- and wherein the wood fiber is dispersed throughout a continuous polymer phase.
A composite composition, capable of extrusion into a dimensionally stable structural member, which composition comprises:
- (a) about 40 to 70 wt-% of a polymer comprising vinyl chloride;
- (b) about 30 to 50 wt-% of wood fiber having a minimum width of 0.3 mm and a minimum length of 1 mm and an aspect ratio of greater than about 1.8;
- (c) about 0.01 to 25 wt-% of an intentionally recycled impurity comprising thermoplastic polymer, an adhesive, a paint, a thermoplastic resin or mixtures thereof;
- and
- (d) less than about 10 wt-% water;
- wherein the wood fiber is dispersed throughout a continuous polymer phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.